


Red Out

by Delyrium



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Abuse of Templars, Addiction, Alcohol, Body Horror, Canon-Typical Violence, Circle Mages, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Drugs, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Lyrium, Lyrium Addiction, Lyrium Withdrawal, Mage Abuse and Oppression, Mage Rebellion, Mage-Templar War, Mages and Templars, Mental Health Issues, Physical Abuse, Physical Trauma, Psychological Trauma, Red Lyrium, Torture, Unresolved Emotional Tension, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-09 23:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14725628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delyrium/pseuds/Delyrium
Summary: People change over time. Sometimes, those changes can make people into something they weren't before.We followed the Lord Seeker. He promised change, a way to fix what was broken. In me, in the world... but people don't always keep their promises. I learned that the hard way, and now there's no going back. Not now that it's all gone red.This story follows Knight-Captain Denam from finishing his templar training to the drama at Therinfal Redoubt.





	Red Out

Several months ago, becoming fully initiated as a templar in the Order had seemed like such a far-off goal to Denam.

 

Now, however? The time had finally come, and as an official member of the Templar Order, the fifteen-year old felt... well, pretty sick, actually. That, however, was probably just the initial effect of the lyrium. Now that the congratulatory group of his fellow templars had filed out of the room and the place had quieted down, Denam had been left to cope with the effects of his first dose of the glowing blue liquid.

 

It wasn’t going well.

 

For all those visions of charging into battle and saving villages from abominations and malificars, all Denam could see now was the bottom of the metal basin he was now leaning over. But things would get better, right?

 

When the Denam awoke next, he felt like he desperately needed... something. Maybe he was just hungry? The groggy templar got up from his bed and staggered over to the dining hall.

 

Nobody engaged with Denam much as he ate, but maybe the silence should be welcomed. At the very least, it gave the young templar time to think. He could still hear the song of the lyrium, but he felt like there was something he was missing.

 

As he finished what was on his plate, Denam decided to pay one of his superiors a visit. Maybe then he'd be able to figure out what he needed.

 

As the templar headed to report to his superior, he became increasingly distressed. There was something very wrong, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. It was a warm spring day, but Denam felt oddly cold. He quickened his pace, eager to reach his superior’s office before the symptoms of whatever was going on got worse.

 

“Denam. I was wondering when you’d walk in here.”

 

“Ser Bradforth.”

 

What should Denam do? He couldn’t just tell his superior that he was losing it. After all, Denam always had been known for being a bit... off... by others. He had been called “crazy” more times than he could count, and the last thing he wanted now was to be locked up somewhere. He just wanted to get on with being a templar and leave the insults against his sanity behind him. But what if he really was losing it for good? Still, he couldn't come to Ser Bradforth with the matter.

 

“Denam. I think you could use this.”

 

The young templar snapped back to attention upon hearing his name. Ser Bradforth was holding out a rectangular wooden box-- something Denam had seen many a time before.

 

“My lyrium kit. Thank you, Ser Bradforth.”

 

“Yes. Here are your weekly rations, and an already-prepared vial for immediate consumption. You look like you could use it.”

 

As Denam took the bag of glowing blue powder and the small blue vial, he realized that this is just what he needed to feel better at the moment. It was just a bit of lyrium withdrawal, apparently. He hadn’t been going completely insane.

 

“Thank you, Ser Bradforth.” Denam stowed the bag of lyrium powder and the lyrium kit each in a pouch on his belt, then uncapped the vial he had been given and downed the contents.

 

The young templar could feel the effects almost immediately. Relief soon washed over him, and the panicked thoughts died down.

 

“Now, I want you to stay here and train for the next few months to hone your lyrium-granted abilities. After that, you’re to be sent to Kinloch Hold to serve as a circle templar.”

 

“Understood, Ser Bradforth.”


End file.
